Tracking the OSS in North Africa
Opapa’s exact locations in North Africa are obscure. He spent a significant amount of time at Oran, but also refers to other places as, for example, “Area ‘B.’” or “Camp ‘X’ near Algiers.” I've been trying to track his movements, and also to get more insight on what the OSS was doing in North Africa. Here is the rough timeline I've put together so far:
June 27, 1944: Sails through straits of Gibraltar. “Almost exactly 5 years after I left Europe I saw its shores again today. First Morocco, then Spain, then the Rock, Barrage balloons up, the ships are jockeying back & forth, going through the straits in two’s. On the Moroccan shore villages, homes, the old earmarks: walled-in villages, old forts, ruins, churches on hilltops, calvaries.” (Gerbner Diary)
June 30 - July 8, 1944: Oran, Algeria. “We’ve been in the 1st Replacement Depot 5 ml. from Oran for 2 days. Oran is just what one expects, little bigger” (July 1, 1944, Gerbner Diary)
July 8, 1944: Canastal, Algeria. I believe this is was east of Oran during the 1940s. Now it seems to be part of the city. “Still at Canestel. Have been going to the beach (AIN EL TRUCK) every day this week.” (Gerbner Diary)
July 9-12, 1944: Area "B" near Algiers, Algeria. “Second day at Area ‘B’ near Algiers. Arrived here from Oran by train.” (July 10, 1944, Gerbner Diary)
July 12 - July 22, 1944: Operations in the mountains, Algeria. "Life in the mountains was good, clean, hard. We camped near springs, clear streams. In daytime manned OPS, climbed mountains, visited Arab villages. Learned some Arabic. Met Major ?? (English) who led us on two night problems [sic]. (Bridge demolitions).” (Gerbner Diary, 24 July 1944)
July 22 - July 31, 1944: Camp X near Algiers
July 31, 1944 - late Aug/early Sept 1944: Station “E” in Baignon [?] “Since Monday I + three others (Hans Wynberg, Bob Sanders, Kurt Levy) have been staying at Station “E” in Bagnon, taking a course in radio. The place is a nice house built right on the rocks of the coast. 20 feet from the water. This place serves as school and as base for field operations in training. We study code, procedure, crypotgraphy, radio tunin + repair.” (Gerbner Diary, Aug. 4, 1944)
August 23-26, 1944: Sends codes to/from base, possibly from Station “E” in Baignon (where is this?). Called back to base on August 26 “at their leisure.” (Gerbner OSS Codes, August 26, 1944)
Sept. 12, 1944: “Have been back at X since Oran. Were all ready to go on mission to France two weeks ago. Called off in last minute. Morale hits new low.” (Gerbner Diary, Sept. 12, 1944)
~Oct 15-18, 1944: Arrival in Naples, Italy (from North Africa).
I haven't been able to find any OSS maps showing where, exactly, these locations were, but it's possible they exist in the OSS Archives. The best I can find at present is the map above showing transit connections in French North Africa, including the railroad line Opapa presumably used to travel from Oran to Algiers.